Fire Draw 2-2 With Florida Gulf Coast

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club drew 2-2 with Florida Gulf Coast University Thursday night at Ave Maria University Soccer Field to open up the side’s 2011 preseason. Playing three 30-minute intervals, midfielder Marco Pappa and defender Kwame Watson-Siriboe tallied for the Fire in the draw.

The first period saw the Men in Red barrage the Florida Gulf Coast keeper Adam Glick’s goal, with the net minder being equal to several early efforts, keeping the score knotted at 0-0 heading into the second frame.

Chicago Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos inserted an entirely new lineup for the following interval and was rewarded when Marco Pappa opened the scoring in the 35th minute. Starting the play from the left side of midfield, the Guatemalan international switched fields, playing Bratislav Ristic streaking up the right. The Serbian midfielder struck a low pinpoint pass to Pappa who powered a hard shot to the low left corner to put the game at 1-0.

Pappa chipped in on the second effort as well, sending a looping corner kick in from the right which Kwame Watson-Siriboe rose up to head into the top left corner of Florida Gulf Coast net.

Entering the third interval, de los Cobos made wholesale changes again and the Men in Red saw their lead slip away when Eagles midfielder Andres Navas sent a powerful low blast past substitute keeper Alec Dufty in the 65th minute.

Florida Gulf Coast equalized from the penalty spot in the 76th minute after the referee judged that trialist Eric Ustruck had committed a foul in the area. Striker Scotty Harrison put the spot kick to the right of Dufty to equalize the match.

The team will next play a double header with MLS foe New York Red Bulls on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL with matches scheduled for 10 AM and 12 PM CT.